title: Effect of long term glucocorticoid treatment on human growth hormone secretion in children and adolescents and the safety and effectiveness of recombinant human growth hormone treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Long term glucocorticoid (prednisolone) treatment on human growth hormone (hGH) secretion in children and adolescents and to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients (age: 10.4∓1.2 years) who were treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 1999 to November 2009 were enrolled in this study. All of them had taken prednisolone with a dose of 0.5∓2.0 mg/(kg.d) for 6~18 months. Two different hGH stimulating tests was done and their growth and development was evaluated at regular intervals. Seven patients were given rhGH with a dose of 0.1 U/(kg.d) for 6~12 months to improve their growth and development after half a year of prednisolone withdrawal when their disease conditions were improved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The growth speed of these 12 children decreased significantly during prednisolone treatment compared with before prednisolone treatment (1.2∓0.3cm/year vs.3.7∓1.2 cm/year,P12 months than those with a 6~12 months course (P0.05). The growth speed of seven children who received rhGH therapy for half a year were increased from 2.2∓0.1cm/year to 7.8∓0.5cm/year (P<0.05), and then to 6.9∓0.4cm/year one year later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term glucocorticoid treatment can decrease the hGH secretion, and thus leads to short stature and agenesis. However, the rhGH replacement can safely and effectively improve growth and development in these children after their primary diseases are improved and glucocorticoids are withdrawn.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of Ministry of Health, Department of Endocrinology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dian-Chi
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qi-Yong
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hui-Juan
authors.forename: Gong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng-Yang
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zi-meng
authors.forename: Deng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jie-ying
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi-fan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone